Thank you for the comments and criticism regarding dresswithstyle.com.

Lefty, I am experimenting with an external mic and hopefully the sound quality will improve. Your comments on framing the shots are also helpful. When it comes to filming and interviewing craftsmen I think seeing them in their workplace is the most authentic method. However, it is often inconvenient and noisy.

Upcoming episodes will include visits with A&S, Huntsman, and Smith Woollens.

Michael, a more directional microphone will help you cut out the ambient noise around you. You often see mics like this labeled as "shotgun", because they capture sound from mostly in front of them, like a shotgun blast.

The Rode VideoMic is a good, inexpensive shotgun that will work out of the box with most consumer camcorders. I'd get the mono version --- no need for the stereo version.

Thank you for the comments and criticism regarding dresswithstyle.com.

Lefty, I am experimenting with an external mic and hopefully the sound quality will improve. Your comments on framing the shots are also helpful. When it comes to filming and interviewing craftsmen I think seeing them in their workplace is the most authentic method. However, it is often inconvenient and noisy.

A lavalier mic would really help for exterior locations. You can tape it to yourself under your shirt which will also help to kill the wind. Just watch for excessive cloth rustling.

A shotgun mic would be an improvement over the built-in mic, but would still be fairly noisy on a city street. If you do use a shotgun, be sure and get a furry zeppelin to block the wind.

Thank you for the comments and criticism regarding dresswithstyle.com.

Lefty, I am experimenting with an external mic and hopefully the sound quality will improve. Your comments on framing the shots are also helpful. When it comes to filming and interviewing craftsmen I think seeing them in their workplace is the most authentic method. However, it is often inconvenient and noisy.

Upcoming episodes will include visits with A&S, Huntsman, and Smith Woollens.

as starcrash said, you may want to look into a lav which should solve all your sound issues.

You'll get a better feel for a well composed frame the more you shoot, but just be aware of what's around you. What I found frustrating was that in many cases I wanted to see what was going on outside of the frame. The Bates piece is a good example - I really wanted to see inside the case behind you. You have a fine voice and laying over a shot of hundred year old hat blocks will add texture to both. The more footage you grab the easier your job will be when you edit.

Good example of a "artisan" video with a nice attention to the details is the Greenfield clip here:

Michael, I think you guys got it wrong with the LL tie. The picture of Gary Cooper shows him wearing what appears to be a shepherd check, while you had it recreated as some faux pois pattern... Maybe if that pattern you used had been turned 45 degrees from how it appears on Mr. Colban, it would have stood a chance of bearing a passing resemblance to Cooper's tie. Look at Cooper's: the black/dark color forms diagonal lines while the on the LL club tie, you get vertical and horizontal lines (dark areas).